


By Design

by CaesarianConquerer



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Fashion Designer AU, Gabe falls head over heels, M/M, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, This is to product of me watching devil wears prada too many times lmao, and tries to court you, chaos insues, you think hes just being nice and plays along
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-04-30 02:35:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 14,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14486919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaesarianConquerer/pseuds/CaesarianConquerer
Summary: You're a reporter for Overwatch Magazine, ambitious and capable.Gabriel Reyes is a notoriously reclusive, up and coming designer taking the fashion world by storm.You bag an exclusive interview with him, eager to show the world whats behind the mask.But are prepared for what happens after?





	1. Chapter 1

The city is alive as you make your way down a bustling avenue, passing shops and vendors selling anything from hundred year old antiques to tacos. 

You hurry excitedly towards your destination, soles of your shoes tapping softly against the pavement. 

You clutch the strap of your bag tightly as you walk, hungry to get your hands into this new assignment. 

A spread for Overwatch Magazine, on the new rising star of the fashion world, Gabriel Reyes. 

Having recently had shows in London and Milan, the world was desperate to know more about the reclusive but ingenious designer. 

You knew how lucky you were to get a shot at him, he rarely appeared on camera and a full interview was unheard of. 

You recall the heated competition in the editing room between you and your fellow colleagues, each one desperately vying for the assignment.

In the end, you had come out on top after your editor saw the potential in your portfolio. 

Jack smiled knowingly as he ushered the others out of his office. 

"Don't let me down." He says, handing you the details of the assignment. 

"You know I won't." You wink as you take the file from him, eager to pour over its contents. 

You had done your research, gathering what info you could on Reyes despite the fact there...really wasn't much. 

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, really nothing of note until his breakout success in the fashion world only a few years ago, suddenly appearing on high profile celebrities all over the world. 

The air of mystery that surrounds him does nothing but make the public's thirst for information grow, and you were determined to unmask him. 

You stop as you arrive at the address scrawled onto a post it note, stuck haphazardly onto the back of your phone. 

You glance around, double checking your location. 

The building is unassuming, three stories, brick walls painted black with several huge windows overlooking the busy street behind you. 

Satisfied, you make your way through the glass doors of the main entrance, a tiny bell above the door signalling your arrival. 

You're greeted by a strikingly beautiful woman behind a desk, "How may I help you?" 

You blink, slightly taken aback by her french accent before replying, "Hi, I'm the journalist from Overwatch Magazine? I'm here to interview Mr. Reyes." 

You smile as you walk up to the desk, she looks you up and down cooly before pressing a well manicured finger on a button on the keyboard in front of her, "Your one o'clock is here." 

A moment passes before you hear a harsh buzz from the door to your left, "Right through there." She says, dragging an emery board across a delicate nail. 

You thank her kindly before walking past her towards the door, taking a deep breath before pushing through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Reader, what are you gonna get urself into this time 
> 
> Yay! Its good to be back! I'm having a blast writing this one, even tho this required more research than anticipated lol 
> 
> I'm busy with a new job plus I don't have too many chapters ready to go yet so updates will be less frequent! 
> 
> Thank you for reading ! 
> 
> ♡♡♡


	2. Chapter 2

Your shoes clack loudly on the steep wooden stairs that lead in from the doorway, you find yourself oddly disquieted by the noise. 

By the time you reach the top, your heart is pounding, both from your nerves and the unexpected cardio. 

You stare for a moment at the wooden rolling door before you, before hesitantly giving it a knock. 

When you receive no answer you try again, knocking a little harder on the thick wooden door. 

This time, you hear a voice exclaim indistinctly from behind the door and soon hear a pair of footsteps approaching you. 

The door rolls open with surprisingly little noise, you steel yourself as a figure appears behind the door. 

A man stands in front of you, dressed handsomely in a pair of casual black pants and a loose white sweater. 

His smile is warm as he greets you, "Hi, you must be the journalist. Gabriel Reyes, pleasure." 

He extends a hand and you shake it slowly, a little dumbstruck by his appearance. 

You recall the photos you found of him while doing your research, there weren't many and his face was always obscured by sunglasses or a devilishly fashionable hat. 

You hadn't expected him to be so...fit either. 

His sweater hung dangerously loose on his muscular frame, his dark skin rendering parts of the garment translucent.

You snap yourself out of your thoughts and manage an introduction, his smile is warm as he gives your hand a firm shake. 

After a few moments you let out a small, polite cough. 

He blinks, seemingly confused for a moment before realizing he's still holding your hand. 

He hastily retracts his hand, laughing nervously as he rubs the back of his neck. 

You panic, afraid you might have offended him somehow and instinctively crack a joke. 

"Don't worry I've been told I have that effect on people." 

He stares at you for a moment before looking away, smirking as he says, "I'll admit I didn't know who I expected when Overwatch said they'd send their best. But you're certainly...something." 

"I'm glad I didn't disappoint." You smile, relived, "Now, lets get this interview started, shall we?" 

He leans back and politely leads you into his studio. 

Its spacious, the entire floor open and filled with walls of scrap fabric, loose sketches strewn across tables and mannequins littered like trees across the wide expanse of the room. 

Sunlight pours in from the large windows to your right as he leads you towards a long table parked along the entire right hand side of the room. 

He offers you some refreshments as he gestures for you to take a seat, you politely ask for some water when he smirks, "You sure you don't want anything stronger? I've been told I'm a lot to handle." 

You respond immediately, not missing a beat, "I'm a big boy, Mr. Reyes. I think I can handle you sober." 

A smug smile crosses your face as you gaze into his eyes. 

He silent for a moment before he lets out a laugh, leaning down to grab two bottles of water from a mini fridge. 

He sits down a chair in front of you, handing you a bottle before settling comfortably into his seat. 

"So, what do you wanna know first?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel "Falls in love at first sight" Reyes 
> 
> These first few chapters are fighting me hard ,,, I just wanna get to the good bits lmao 
> 
> Thank you for reading !   
> ♡♡♡


	3. Chapter 3

He eyes you intently as he lounges on his seat, you swiftly pull out a holopad from your bag and pull up a list of questions. 

You settle in, crossing your legs as you hit the audio record button. 

"So, Mr. Reyes, your name's been on everyones lips ever since your design appeared on kpop sensation Hana Song a few years ago, and since then you've been dressing more and more A list actors and performers. How did that first initial breakout success happen?"

He chuckles, "Well, I think I owe a lot to my publicist, Olivia. She had friends in all the right places, she pulled a few strings and suddenly my designs were on half the red carpets the next season. No idea how she did it, but I owe her everything." 

You smile as you continue down your list, "And the aversion to cameras? Why have you been sticking to the shadows when the world has been dying to have you in the spotlight?" 

He smiles sheepishly, "Would you believe me if I said I was shy?" 

Your smile stays on your face as your eyes narrow slightly, he was far more charming than you expected and you hadn't noticed that you had let your guard go down. 

You lift your chin, eyeing him closely, "No, I don't think I would." 

He laughs again before throwing up his hands gently in surrender, "I dunno, I just prefer to work from the shadows I guess? I mean, why does it matter what I look like? Its my clothes you should be looking at." 

You laugh quietly under your breath, and the words spill from your mouth before you can stop them. 

"I don't know, you're not exactly hard on the eyes." 

Your eyes grow wide when you realize you said that out loud and quickly lead into your next question before he has a chance to react. 

"But wouldn't you like to step into the spotlight? Take in some of the glory?" 

Your voice is a little high pitched, trying desperately to change the subject. 

He stares for a moment before answering, clearly trying to sound nonchalant. 

"If I wanted glory I would have gone into sports. I'm here to make the world a better place, one outfit at a time." 

You laugh, tension easing away as he grins wide, teeth perfect behind his lips. 

The interview continues, you nod and crack the occasional joke as you ask him more about his professional life. 

He's all smiles and gives genuine, thoughtful answers. 

He designed his first outfit at age 12 after being givin a fashion magazine by his mother, quickly becoming obsessed with the craft, and has been at it ever since, only turning it into a full time job about 4 years ago. 

Despite his achievements he never comes across as arrogant, in fact you find that he seems almost bashful as he recounts his life. 

You finish typing up a few additional notes before leaning forwards, "So, Mr. Reyes, how about we move on to more..personal topics?" 

He shifts slightly in his seat, obviously nervous as he tries to maintain eye contact. 

You raise up a hand, gesturing politely for an answer, "So, anyone special in your life you consider an inspiration?" 

He ponders the question for a moment before answering, "Well, if you're asking me who I look up to then I'd say my mother. She's always been there for me and showed me the importance of hard work. But if you're asking if I've found a...muse then I'm afraid not. I just haven't been lucky enough to come across him yet." 

Your face softens and you laugh gently as you reply, "Well, for fashion's sake I hope you find them soon." 

He smiles in agreement as you lean down to type in a few more notes, definitely not mentally noting that he's single and...coincidentally also into men. 

He chats his way easily through the rest of the interview, he gives you answers you'd expect from someone who's been doing this for years. 

Friendly but concise, charisma dripping from every word. 

Its late afternoon by the time you wrap things up, sun stretching long shadows across the room. 

You lean forward and rise from your seat, "Well, this has been a pleasure. Thank you very much, Mr. Reyes." 

He smiles as he takes your hand, giving it a firm shake, "No, no pleasures all mine." 

He leads you across the studio and back to the door, holding it open for you, his voice is soft when he asks, "So when can I see you again?" 

You turn and face him, standing at the edge of the stairs, "Well, I'll need some photos to go with the article. I was actually hoping to be there for the photoshoot, if you're alright with that?" 

He blinks in surprise and blushes lightly when he replies, "I-That sounds great, I'd love to have you shoot me. I-uh, shoot photos of me." He clears his throat awkwardly as you laugh quietly behind your hand. 

"My photographers one of the best in the business, she won't miss." You reply, still regaining your composure. 

His blush deepens as you give him a friendly wink before you turn and descend down the stairs. 

He follows closely behind you, gesturing at his receptionist as you reach the bottom. 

"Amélie, set up an appointment next week for a photoshoot here at the studio", he glances at you before continuing, "Is that alright with you?" 

You nod, "Yeah, sounds great. I'll bring my photographer and we'll get everything set up." 

He beams when you turn to bid Amélie goodbye, before turn back around to thank him again, bowing politely. 

The tiny bell above the door chimes brightly as you walk through the doors, back out onto the busy street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amélie's laughing her ass off in her head, she's knows Gabe is an Big Gay Idiot 
> 
> Thanks for reading ! 
> 
> ♡♡♡


	4. Chapter 4

You spend the majority of the following week typing up the article, spending long hours in the office making sure everything is just right. 

You smile as you reread the answers, remembering how...easy Gabriel was to be around, how his smile was always warm and how laughter came easily in his presence. 

Your chair creaks in protest as you swivel around to look at the vision board you and Ana created for inspiration for the photoshoot. 

The large holodeck projects the photos you've gathered in a splattering of holograms, mostly of brightly lit rooms inspired by Gabriel's studio but for his close up portrait you were hoping to go for something darker. 

Colourful, dramatic lighting with a dark background perhaps. 

You're deep in thought when a coffee suddenly appears inches from your face, you follow the arm its connected to and smile, "Hey, Ana. How ya doing?" 

She returns the smile as she takes her seat next to you, casually propping her legs up on her desk, rattling the many small mementos scattered across her workspace. 

"Pretty good. Just finished a shoot downtown, everything went as smoothly as you can expect so early in the morning. Least it didn't rain."

You groan in agreement as you cautiously take a sip from the cup, careful not to burn your tongue. 

"But enough about me," she continues, eyeing you from across her own cup, "How's your story with that fashion designer going? Is he the tortured recluse the tabloids say he is? " She bats her eyes dramatically, pressing the back of her palm to her forehead. 

You lean back against your chair, relaxing into the conversation, "Its going good, I think. He's very nice. Didn't hiss at the sun or anything, so I'd call that a win." 

You both share a short chuckle before you straighten up, "But really though, the interview went really well and I've been working on the prep for the photoshoot shoot next week." 

She quirks an eyebrow, eyes gleaming with mischief, "Oohh,"Nice" you say? Come now, you're the first person who's ever officially met the guy and "nice" is all you have to say? I know I'm meeting him soon but don't keep me in the dark. Whats he look like?" 

You feel yourself turn a little pink as you reply, suddenly unable to look her in the eye, "I-I dunno. Tall, fit, well dressed? Nice hair, kind smile...I don't know...Nice." 

"Mmm, sounds like just your type. Vague and hopelessly out of your league." She muses.  
You scoff, thoroughly offended. 

"Kidding, kidding! Its more likely to be the other way around." 

She laughs as you turn back to your work, exasperated but suppressing a growing smile. 

Eventually, she turns to face her own screen, extracting her new photos from her camera as she continues on with idle chit chat. 

The two of you spend the rest of the day planning for the photoshoot, acutely aware of how big a story its going to be, and determined to not disappoint. 

Its well past dark when the two of you close up the office, making your way out of the building together and heading straight to the nearest bar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ana is a huge gossip and you love it 
> 
> *note: Hey guys, lifes been really hectic these days. I just got a new job and I have a lot medical stuff I need to manage, so I'm only going to be updating on Mondays for the next little while ! 
> 
> My motivation for writing has also just plummeted down a cliff ;; I've barely written any new content, and just been editing my drafts and million wips smh  
> If you could leave a comment on this or any of my other fics that'd honestly mean the world ! And maybe that'll be enough to get my dumbass to write again lmao 
> 
> Thank you so so much for reading !  
> ♡♡♡


	5. Chapter 5

A week later you and Ana arrive at Gabriel's studio, each carrying a heavy equipment bag on your shoulders. 

You fumble with large bag as you awkwardly hold the door for Ana before backing into the studio. 

You drop your bag onto a stylish leather seat in the entrance with a loud whump as you check in with the secretary. 

She's as stunning as the last time you saw her, painting her nails a deep purple as you walk up to greet her, "Hey, Amélie was it? I'm here for the photoshoot with Mr. Reyes." 

She blows gently on her nails as she pages him, "Mmm. Ton beau est ici, mon cher" 

You smile politely as you wait, unsure if she announced you correctly. 

Ana gives you a "I dunno" shrug when you shoot her a concerned glance. 

Once again you hear the door buzz open to your left and you hoist the equipment bag back onto your shoulder and begin the long trek up the stairs. 

You're sweating and breathless by the time you reach the top, Ana teases you when you reach the landing but you're too busy trying to stead your nerves. 

You take a moment to compose yourself before knocking sharply on the door. 

It opens immediately, you smile quizzically at him as he appears in front of you. 

"Were you waiting behind the door?" 

He scratches the base of his neck as he replies, "I-No. I'm mean yes, sort of. I was expecting you, after all." 

You laugh, "Well I'm glad to see you again too, Mr. Reyes. This is Ana Amari, she's my photographer. She's got a good eye." 

His expression clears, beaming as he reaches out and gives Ana's hand a firm shake and leads the two of you into his studio. 

You set the bags down on one of the side tables, smoothly unzipping them and pulling out various lenses as well as several lighting drones that hover quietly in the air, casting spotlights on command. 

Meanwhile, Ana fiddles with her camera for a while making sure everything works, holding it up to her eye and pointing it at various objects to check the focus. 

When she's satisfied she gives you a nod and turns to Gabriel, who's been quietly watching the two of you and says, "I think I'm gonna do some candid shots first, so just go about your work and try and pretend we're not here." 

He flushes as he walks towards a long table covered in sketches, "So...like this?" 

She aims her camera at him as he leans down and looks over his work, but after a quick moment she straightens up, smiling as she say, "You seem nervous, are you alright?" 

He flushes deeper, cheeks bright red, his eyes darting between the two of you as he stammers, "I-I'm fine. I'm just...shy around cameras." 

You beam, "You have nothing to be shy about, you look great! Just relax and focus on your work. Its like we're not even here..." 

You wiggle your fingers mysteriously as you finish your sentence causing him to laugh, visibly relaxing. 

He gets the hang of it pretty quickly, seemingly able to focus on his work once he gets over his initial shyness. 

You watch as Ana captures him pouring over sketches, pinning beautiful, flowing fabric onto mannequins and sipping coffee while lounging on a seat by the windows. 

He looks good, the delicate floral embroidery on his bomber jacker glints beautifully in the sunlight, the black silk bold against the pale background of the space. 

Eventually, you move across the room, leaving Ana to her work to employ two of the drones to hold up a backdrop at the far end of the room, while positioning another one to shine multicoloured lights at the screen. 

You turn to him as he rises from his seat, "Hey, is it alright if I close all the blinds? We wanted some shots of you with in some coloured light. I think the drama would suit you." 

He smiles and assents, moving to help you and Ana lower all the curtains before walking up in front of the screen. 

You press a few buttons on the drone and set the light to a rich red, drenching the room on warm but slightly ominous light. 

"Feels like a horror movie." He says, smiling nervously as you drag over a wooden stool for him to sit on. 

"Don't worry, I promise there isn't a giant bucket of pigs blood above your head." 

You snicker as Ana eyes him through the lens. 

"Hmm, I feel like we've seen too much of that jacket..." she opens her mouth ask if he had another outfit when he takes the jacket off, revealing a plain black T shirt underneath. 

Your eyes grow wide as you wordlessly eye him from you vantage point. 

The shirt is tight, clinging to his chest as his arms strain and stretch the fabric. 

You snap out of it when you hear him speak, "Is this ok? Its simple, I know, but I kinda like that." 

Your mouth opens and closes uselessly a few times before you finally manage to answer, Ana turning and giving you a cheeky look as you speak, "I-Uh. Yeah. Yeah, its fine. You look good." 

You think he flushes as he tries to settle comfortably on the stool, though its hard to tell in the light. 

"I've never actually modelled before..." he mutters sheepishly as Ana points the lens at him again. 

"Don't worry its not as scary as it seems. Just pretend to look cool, maybe try thinking about all the models you've seen before and try doing that." She says, as she walks up and helps him pose a bit. 

He nods slowly, straightening his face as he strikes a pose. 

She eagerly snaps photo after photo, each one better than the last. She intermittently pauses between shots to give him some instructions and join in to reassure him that he's doing a great job. 

Before long, you scroll through the all the photos Ana's taken for the day and sigh, extremely pleased with her work. 

You wince against the light as you help him pull the curtains back up, quick to help pack away all of your equipment as well. 

He shrugs his jacket back on as you shove the last drone forcefully back into the bag. 

He rushes to your side as you start to lift it from the table, "Here. Let me." 

You smile, grateful for the assistance as he shoulders both of your bags. 

Ana shoots you a knowing smile and quirks an eyebrow as Gabriel lifts both bags easily onto his shoulder, muscles straining against his clothes. 

He speaks as the three of you make your way to the door and asks, "So when will the article be published?" 

"It'll be in next months issue of Overwatch if everything goes smoothly." 

He smirks, "Meaning..?"

You give Ana a smirk before replying, "Meaning it'll be in next months issue if we power through the next three weeks with minimal sleep and maximum coffee." 

The three of you share a laugh as you and Ana arrive at the landing at the top of the stairs. 

You turn, grinning wide and extending a hand as you say, "Well, Mr. Reyes. Its been lovely." 

He smiles back, eyes sincere, as he shakes gives your hand a firm shake, "Call me Gabriel, please.   
And I had a wonderful time, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for the article next month." 

You politely bow your head once as you echo after him, "Gabriel. Right, thank you again."   
A smile creeps across your face as Ana gives his hand a shake as well, thanking him as you start to descend down the stairs. 

He gently hands you back your bag once you reach the bottom, careful not to drop it on you all at once. 

You shift the heavy weight across your back you turn to bid him and Amelié goodbye. 

You nod politely at both, before holding the dor for Ana and heading out the door, into the bustling rush hour traffic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gabe's shirt fits the same way Chris Evans' does in winter solider
> 
> You know. Like that. 
> 
> Thanks for reading !   
> ♡♡♡


	6. Chapter 6

The month passes quickly. Or very, very slowly. Its hard to tell when your main diet consisted of coffee and instant noodles. 

You and Ana spend weeks refining your work, spending hours typing and re-typing the article, pouring over each word and photo until it all blended into a multicoloured mush in your brains. 

But the deadline comes and goes, and before long you arrive at your desk one morning to find a copy of the print sitting front and centre. 

You quickly flip through the magazine, its glossy pages fluttering noisily as you search for your page. 

When you finally find it you chest swells with pride. Its beautiful, your interview stretched across several pages, punctuated by photos of Gabriel and his studio. 

Ana's photos are gorgeous, bright and springing to life on the page. 

Gabriel looks..good. Really good. 

You feel your heart do a strange little stutter in your chest as you pour over the article.

After a long savoured moment, you clutch the the magazine to your chest, grinning wide before placing it on the side of your desk, having pacified the need to celebrate until you've finished up with your current workload. 

\---

A week or so goes by without incident, the time passing routinely as you focus on work. 

You've had a lot more of it since the article was published, the exclusive interview was a shiny new addition to your portfolio thats earned you some very exciting new projects.

Then one day, you're in the middle of another article when a notification bleeps onto the corner of your screen. 

The email address is unfamiliar to you and you quirk an eyebrow as you click it open. 

Pale blue light illuminates your face as you skim through the words. 

Its from Gabriel. 

He apologizes for not contacting you sooner, he wanted to, but got caught up with his work. 

You can't help but flush lightly as you intently read through the rest message. 

[I just wanted to let you know that I read the article and I can't tell you how impressed I am.

I apologize for not contacting you sooner, I've gotten a lot of inquiries since the article was published, hence my delayed thank you. 

Everybody is wants me to dress them this season and I owe it all to you. 

I knew you wouldn't disappoint and I was wondering if I could take you out to lunch as a thank you? 

Sincerely, 

G. Reyes]

You feel blood rush up into your head, face burning red as you abruptly push back from your desk. 

You take a moment to collect yourself, before attempting to reply, fingers hovering uncertainly over the keys. 

The line blinks with anticipation as you try and find the words, your mind scrambling to assemble your thoughts. 

You're about reply when the door to your office opens loudly behind you, causing you to jump in your seat. 

Ana steps in, carrying a large folder that she plops onto her desk along with a cup of coffee from the local chain. 

"Good morn-", is as far as she gets before she scoffs, "You're red as a beet. What happened?" 

She steps closer, leaning towards you as you stammer, trying to come up with an answer. 

Her eyes wander across your face as she waits for your reply, and they grow wide when they land on your screen behind you. 

"Oh my god." 

"A-Ana, please, its-its nothing, don't make a big dea-" 

"Say yes." 

"What?" 

You scream as she leans over and starts typing. 

[Yes, 

You grab wildly at her arms, both of you screaming at the top of your lungs as you wrestle her away from your computer. 

You manage to wrench her away when suddenly you hear a small bing from beside you. 

Blood drains from your face as you see the notification pop up. 

[Message Sent]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel typed that email out 16 times and spent 3 of them debating about whether or not to use emojis 
> 
> Thanks for reading !  
> ♡♡♡


	7. Chapter 7

You stare at your screen, speechless as the blood drains from your face. 

An eternity passes as your brain struggles to comprehend the current situation. 

Your voice croaks out from behind your hands, small and weak. 

"Oh my god." 

"Oh shit." You barely register Ana's words despite her close proximity, mind still reeling from shock. 

"OH MY GOD!" 

The two of you scream at each other, clutching your heads in your hands and wailing as your minds scramble for a way to salvage the situation. 

Ana recovers first, jumping to her feet as she exclaims, "I got it! All you gotta do is send another reply and pretend nothing happened! Just a random glitch! He won't even notice!" 

You stare at her incredulously, clawed hands choking at the air in front of you. 

"Thats not the POINT, Ana. The POINT is that I wasn't sure if I was going to agree!" 

Its her turn to stare at you in disbelief, waving her hands in wide arcs as she replies, "What are you talking about? He's super hot and just your type! Whats stopping you?" 

You look away, unsure of how to answer, "I..I don't know. He seems nice and all but I mean, this interview was just a work thing. I just..don't think its what you're making it out to be. It's a thank you lunch, nothing more. Plus I'm kinda swamped with work right now, I'm not sure I have the time.." 

Her hands return slowly to her sides as she slumps back down in her chair, deep in contemplation before answering slowly. 

"Yeah, you're probably right about that..but I think you should still go. Foster good work relationships and all that. And sorry if I kind fucked it up for you." 

A small smile crosses your face as you scoot closer to her, the wheels on your chair squeaking loudly as they drag across the floor. 

"Don't worry, we both know you could have done much worse." You quip as the two of you share a short laugh, brighting the room as you continue, "I'll just arrange for us to have lunch tomorrow as a polite gesture and all this drama will be behind us." 

She nods, shooting you a gentle smile as you turn back to your computer, typing up a polite reply. 

You decide to take Ana's advice of just ignoring your previous reply, hoping he'll think its just a glitch. 

Before long his reply pops up, you feel a small, light feeling in your chest you cant quite explain as you read it. 

[Wonderful! I'll pick you up at your place tomorrow at 11:30!  
Sincerely,  
G. Reyes]

Your heart picks up speed at the prospect of the arrangement. 

Not a date. Just a friendly, work arrangement. Yeah, no stress. 

You whirl around and face your desk, worries about your future plans slip from your mind as you resume working, the hours quickly passing by.

Before long Ana takes you by the arm and drags you to the nearest bar, offering to buy you a few rounds to make up for the drama she may have caused. 

You assure her that it wasn't her fault but don't decline the drinks, intending to milk an apologetic Ana for all her worth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Screaming solves everything eventually lmao
> 
> Sorry this was kinda late, this was the last chapter I fought thru before my writers block finally lifted so I ended up rewriting most of it last min OTL 
> 
> Also since my brain decided it can word again, updates with go back to every Monday and Thursday ! 
> 
> ♡♡♡


	8. Chapter 8

You arrive at the cafe desperately out of breath, having had to reschedule last minute to meet Gabriel at the cafe when Jack called you first thing in the morning asking for your help on an important article, forcing you to head into work to hastily help him through the paperwork. 

You were so anxious about being late, but it wasn't like this was a date. 

It wasn't a date, was it? No, definitely just a casual work lunch. 

But still, you dreaded the thought of Gabriel thinking you were unprofessional and tardy. 

You shift uncomfortably at the front of the cafe, pulling out your phone while you wait to be seated. 

You stare mindlessly at the home screen of your phone for a few minutes before putting it down, resigned to wait without distraction. 

The cafe is packed, every table filled with sharply dressed business people from the nearby office buildings. 

The cafe was in the nicer part of downtown, not far from you worked but you couldn't help but nervously look over your own outfit and feel a little underdressed. 

Eventually, a waitress comes over and leads you over to a two person table in the back, in front of giant floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the city. 

You heart drops to your feet when you see Gabriel already sitting down, his glass of water half drained. 

He sits up straight when he sees you, seemingly pulled from thought. 

He stands, fixing his jacket and grinning wide as he extends a hand. 

"Hey, good to see you." 

You take his hand, giving it a firm shake before taking your seat opposite him. 

"Its good to see you too. When did you get here?" 

You hear your nerves leak out through your voice and you hope to god he doesn't notice. 

"No, uh, not long ago. Like, 20 minutes maybe?" he replies. 

"Oh, thats good." 

A palpable silence forms, and you scream internally at yourself to say something. 

"I didn't see you in the back," you blurt out after a few long moments, mercifully breaking the silence between the two of you. "I'm not really familiar with this cafe so I didn't think to look for you here." 

You smile, willing yourself to make eye contact as you unwrap the napkin and smooth it gently on your lap. 

He relaxes, chuckling softly and scratching behind his ear as he speaks, "I'm sorry, I should have been more clear when we made plans." 

You let out a chuckle, "I should be the one saying sorry, I didn't mean to reschedule last minute. But don't worry, if you're still feeling apologetic you can pay me back by helping me order. I can't read half the words here." 

He laughs again, elated as he describes his favourites, occasionally leaning over to point them out over the top of your menu. 

The two of you settle on sharing a quiche, along with a pink lemonade for you and a fruity sparkling water for Gabriel. 

The two of you start to chat as you wait for your food to arrive. 

"So I'm guessing you've been busy lately?" He asks, leaning onto his elbows. 

"Yeah, the article really got me noticed. I've been invited to a lot of fashion shows next season, I'm going to be part of the press there." 

His smile is as warm as you remember as he replies, "Thats very exciting! I'm glad I could help. Maybe I'll see you at one of them." 

You chuckle sheepishly, "You certainly played no small part, and yeah, very exciting! But if I'm being honest I feel a little overwhelmed sometimes. I don't have much experience in the fashion industry and sometimes it feels like I'm in over my head, so it'd be nice to have someone I know there." 

Concern crosses his face and he reaches out across the table and places his hand over yours. 

"Hey, don't worry. If you're half as good for them as you were for me, you'll knock their socks off." 

He smiles for a few moments before he notices your eyes grow wide, darting between him and his hand. 

He quickly pulls his hand away and starts to splutter just as the waitress returns with your food. 

She sets each of your drinks in front of you and the quiche squarely in the centre of the table. 

"Enjoy your meal!" She says, smiling wide. 

"Thank you." You respond. 

"You too." Gabriel blurts and immediately realizes his mistake, face going a bit pink and ducking his head down. 

You can't help but laugh, bright and clear before taking a sip of your lemonade. 

"So hows work going for you?" You ask, mercifully changing the subject. 

He gives a small nod of appreciation before replying, "Its been alright. I'm working on a new line that I'm hoping to launch this year but its coming together kinda slow." 

You tilt your head gently to the side, listening intently as you cut off a slice of quiche for yourself. 

"Its just, I don't know, I have this motivation to work and create, but I'm not terribly inspired if I'm honest." 

"Still haven't found that muse, huh?" You smile, teasing but kind. 

He swallows a bite from his quiche, a small speck of spinach clinging to the corner of his mouth before his tongue licks it away. 

You're..not sure why that was as mesmerizing as it was and you snap out of it as he chuckles and continues to speak. 

"No, I'm afraid not. But..something tells me I might soon." 

"Oh?" You quirk an eyebrow, dramatically placing a palm on your chest, "Someone caught your eye, Mr. Reyes?" 

"I-I...maybe..." He drops his head, face going red as he picks at the tiny pieces of bacon in his quiche with a fork. 

You chuckle gently, "Aww, you crushing?" 

His eyes dart up then quickly back down as he stutters out another reply, "M-maybe, I dunno..." 

You laugh again, louder this time, "Wow, whoever they are they've got you real messed up." 

He makes a small noise of acknowledgement, something between a groan and a whimper. 

Your face softens, hesitantly reaching out for his hand, "Hey, listen. You're a great guy Gabriel, I'm sure they'll like you back." 

He looks up, a corner of his mouth ticking slightly upward as his eyes fills with cautious hope. 

Its cute, you think, for a big man like him to filled with such innocent wonder over a crush. 

His twists his hands upwards and gives yours a soft squeeze before retracting them to his side of the table. 

The conversation shifts, and the two of you end up discussing about his personal life. 

He was a dog, a Rottweiler affectionately named Diablo, who's turning 3 in a few months. 

And his publicist, Olivia, has set up a dizzying array of events for him to attend, leaving him with less time to spend on his work. Which, compounded with his lack of inspiration is, in his words, stressing him the fuck out. 

The two of you talk for hours, not even noticing as the food and drink slowly disappears. 

At one point he asks if you want dessert, but you politely decline, having been unfortunately stuffed full by half a quiche and a tall glass of lemonade.

Eventually, Gabriel signals for the bill and slides a card into the folder when the waitress hands him the check. 

"Please allow me." he says, politely handing it back before you can protest. 

"I..Thank you." 

He smiles at you warmly in return as the two of you rise from your seats, gently waving you towards the front of the cafe. 

Both of you are drenched in warm yellow light as you stand in the late afternoon sun, shadows beginning to grow long as you speak, "Thank you again for lunch, it was very kind of you." 

"No problem, you're the one who did all the heavy lifting with the article." 

You chuckle, genuinely pleased as you reply, "Don't let Ana catch you saying that. But.. thank you. Really. And sorry again for the fiasco earlier today, I actually only moved here about a year ago for work. I basically only know where my work and house are." 

You rub the back of your neck, slightly embarrassed as he tilts his head and replies. 

"Is that so? I could..show you around if you'd like, theres a lot of interesting things around here that they don't advertise to tourists." 

You blink a few times, shocked as you say, "That sounds lovely, but I wouldn't want to impose. You have so much on your plate already, Gabriel." 

He waves a hand, brushing your worries aside, "Don't sweat it. I could use a break from all the events, plus I might find that stroke of inspiration I've been looking so hard for." 

You can't help but smile as you accept his offer, exchanging numbers before he walks you to your car. 

"Its been a pleasure." He says before stepping back as you get in, flashing you a brilliant smile from behind the glass. 

A strange feeling settles over you as you watch him disappear in your rearview mirror, a feeling that only gets stronger as you make your way down the busy highway, driving towards the setting sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel would absolutely name his dog something utterly tacky and edgy like Diablo dont lie 
> 
> He also drinks those bs tasteless sparkling waters cuz hes trying Really Hard to impress you
> 
> Lmao can you tell I got my inspo back ? I'm finally churning out long ass chapters again god bless 
> 
> Please consider leaving a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts abt how the story is going ! I feel like I'm just floundering about till I stumble on a good plot idea lol 
> 
> Thanks for reading !  
> ♡♡♡


	9. Chapter 9

A week passes peacefully, you and Gabriel texting regularly throughout the day. 

He sends you pictures of Diablo, whom you've deduced to be a very, very good boy. 

You send him back pictures of your outfits which he then grades out of ten, an inside joke thats grown immensely funny over the few short days of its existence. 

You even send him the occasional video of Ana doing something crazy at the bar after work. 

He says he likes those the best, reminds him of his college days apparently. 

You smartly decide you don't want to know. 

 

\---

 

Its the Saturday of the week following your lunch together when you receive a text from Gabriel. 

Its quite early in the morning which is rather uncharacteristic of you, but you had actually gone to bed at a reasonable hour last night after Gabriel told you to look after yourself. 

You were used to receiving texts from him early in the morning, he was an early bird and you admit you had grown to love waking up to several messages in the morning. 

Usually picures or descriptions of his breakfast, pancakes or classic bacon and eggs that he makes himself. 

Its rude, really. You don't remember the last time you ate breakfast regularly, let alone a homemade one. 

You're still lying in bed when your phone beeps, perking you awake again. 

[Hey, are you ready for that tour of the city we talked about?] 

You smile as you stare at the screen, hurriedly trying to conjure up an answer, both excited by the prospect of spending more time with Gabriel but also feeling the tendrils of temptation trying to keep you secured to your very cozy bed. 

[Haha if I say no would I destroy days worth of planning? ;)] 

[...It was only a few hours...I made a plan so that we could hit up a few places I think you'd like around the city.] 

You smile, you loved how serious he took even the simplest things. 

After all, you were only work friends and he put in all this effort anyway. 

You agree to have him pick you up in about an hour and rise to get ready. 

 

\---

 

It takes you most of the hour to get ready, having spent far too long picking out an outfit. 

You had started to give a little more thought into your clothes, something you had always done but had started slacking on since you moved into the city and work took over your life. 

Gabriel was always helpful in this department, giving tips or advice on clothes that would compliment your physique or show you a new trend you might like. 

You took his advice to heart, resulting in a happy boost to your self confidence. 

Gabriel always looked impeccable so it was nice to know you were at least close to that bar. 

You sit on your couch as you wait for him to arrive, thinking about nothing in particular as you look around your home. 

Its nothing special, a small apartment in the city that had suspiciously cheap rent. 

Warm wooden floors and white brick walls, both scratched and scuffed from age. 

Large windows that overlooked a back alley where all the trash in the building went, but also a pretty decent view of the city due to your relative height on the 6th floor. 

You smile at the decor, all bought second, occasionally third hand from thrift stores and restored personally. 

Nothing you couldn't DIY with enough internet tutorials. 

You shift into a more comfortable position on the cozy leather couch, rattling the vase full of fake flowers as you prop your feet onto the coffee table. 

You're in the middle of watching Ana's drunken story on your phone when Gabriel finally notifies you that he's waiting outside. 

You quickly grab your things and head out the door, checking your hair in the reflection of the elevator doors before stepping out onto the street.

Gabriel sits on a sleek red motorcycle, studded leather jacket glinting in the sun. 

You suppress your laughter as you walk up to him, "Hey, Gabe, good to see you again. Looking, uh, sharp." 

He laughs, a little shy as he greets you, "Hey, its nice to see you too. And the jackets for safety, I uh, customized it during a metal phase a couple of years ago and I put too much work into it for it to just go to waste." 

You lean over and gaze in giddy horror at the jacket. 

A myriad of patches lined the arms, spikes and studs gleamed maliciously in the light and the word REAPER emblazoned in bone white lettering across the back. 

He reaches into the compartment on the back of the bike and pulls out a spare helmet and leather jacket, both are thankfully in plain black. 

"Safety first. And I guessed your size, let me know if it fits." 

You shrug on the jacket, moving your arms around to test the fit. 

Satisfied, you pull the helmet over your head, face squishing uncomfortably as the world around you is muffled out. 

He laughs as he checks to make sure your set, "It takes some getting used to, I know. But beats being dead." 

You shoot him some finger guns in agreement, shooting him a smushed, lopsided smile before getting into the bike, "So where to first, Ghost Rider?" 

He chuckles, revving the engine as he prepares to pull away. 

"Bakery! I owe you a dessert!" 

He shouts against the sound of the engine and even then, is still a little muffled by the helmet. 

You laugh, though you doubt he can hear you over the noise. 

AlSo you pull him close, wrapping your arms tightly around his chest as he speeds away, into the already bustling city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I paused several times while writing the description for Gabriel's Outfit™ because I was literally SHAKING from the sheer power of it 
> 
> Thank you for all the kind comments and thanks for reading !  
> ♡♡♡


	10. Chapter 10

The bakery is popular, judging by the line that leads almost to the door. 

A small golden bell jingles above your head as Gabriel pushes the door open, leaning to the side to let you through first. 

You thank him before gasping with delight as you spot the several large glass displays along the room. 

You can't quite see everything with the line in your way but enough to know you're in for a treat. 

You quirk a brow as you turn to face him, "Dessert for breakfast is a little self-indulgent don't you think?" 

He smiles and shrugs, the zippers on his jacket tinkling softly, "We work hard. Its the weekend, I think we deserve a treat. Besides, I brought you out to have a good time." 

Laughter bubbles up from your chest, you eye him with a suspicious smile as you turn back around, eagerly trying to catch a better glimpse of the contents of the display cases. 

That smug charisma's of his was back, the same kind he had during the interview. 

You smile to yourself, glad that he's enjoying himself as well. 

The line slowly but surely shuffles forward, and eventually you're staring in awe at the assortment of baked goods lined up behind the glass. 

Macarons, macaroons, croissants, meringues, tarts and cakes sit lined neatly before your eyes. 

You're head spins with the tortuous prospect of having to choose which one you want. 

Gabriel must notice because he leans down beside your head and points through the glass, "I like the raspberry tarts, or the strawberry crepe cake if you're looking for recommendations." 

You stare, starry eyed at the selections, turning over your options in your head as you draw closer and closer to the register. 

By the time you reach the register you're fairly certain you've made the right decision, going with the crepe cake that Gabriel recommended and a vanilla latte. 

Gabriel steps up after you, ordering a raspberry tart along with and a Americano before joining you at a small table to the side. 

He sets his tart down, glass plate clinking against the marble tabletop. 

The drinks arrive moments later, both steaming in pale white mugs. 

You dig into your cake, sliced strawberries and cream spilling out as you push your fork through the layers of crepe. 

You take your first bite and moan, smiling wide as you go in for another bite. 

Gabriel watches you with a smile across the table, sitting back and taking a sip from his mug. 

"I'm glad you like it." he chuckles as you take another bite, cake half gone already. 

You laugh into your hand, slightly embarrassed by your wanton display of pleasure. 

"I'm hungry, and its really good. Don't judge me, Gabriel." You mumble, trying to look displeased despite the smile that stubbornly remains on your face. 

He laughs again, neatly severing a section of his tart with his fork and bringing it to his mouth. 

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare. Besides, I'd hate to be a hypocrite." He says, giving you a wink as he polishes off half of his tart in record time. 

You scoff from the top of your mug, sipping cautiously at your latte. 

You finish your food before he does, scarfing down the rest of the cake before slowly pacing out your coffee while you wait for him to catch up. 

He sips on his coffee as he tells you about the place. 

Its a staple in the neighbourhood, he used to come here as a child on special occasions, where his mother would treat him to whatever he wanted. 

He's tried everything on the menu over the years, and has a very hard set list of favourites. 

Your eyes wander across his face as he speaks, listening intently. 

Warm brown eyes, crows feet when he smiles, a good strong nose and plush lips framing a brilliant smile. 

You're still staring as he takes the last bite of his tart, frowning slightly as you reach a hand across the table, causing him to tense. 

You bring your hand gently closer to his face, speaking softly as you get closer, "Wait. Don't move." 

You use a thumb to brush away a small crumb that stuck to the corner of his mouth, ghosting against his skin. 

"Gotcha." 

He's silent, blinking rapidly as hides his mouth behind his hand, muttering a thanks. 

"Don't worry about it. So whats next?" You ask, downing the last of your latte. 

He regains his composure and rises, cryptically walking you back to the bike in silence before answering. 

"Patience is a virtue, you know." He muses, smile smug as you both get back on the bike. 

You roll your eyes and smile, holding him close again as you speed through the streets, heading to his next surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gabe tries very hard to Be In Control but literally unravels at the slightest hint of affection what a dork I love him 
> 
> Also I was really hungry writing this chapter lmao 
> 
> Let me know how you're liking the story ! I'm drafting out the next few chapters so feedback would be really appreciated ! 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!   
> ♡♡♡


	11. Chapter 11

The rumbles from the bike sends an exhilarating shiver up your spine as Gabriel pulls to a stop. 

You come to a stop in the middle of a crowded public park, twisting paths leading to several different recreational and enrichment facilities close by. 

Gabriel unzips and stuffs his jacket and helmet into a compartment on the side of the bike, gesturing for you to to the same. 

"Its a real scorcher today, wouldn't want you to get heatstroke." He smiles as you hand over your items to him. 

You let out a short laugh, slightly distracted by the all too tight black T shirt he wore underneath his leather. 

His watch glints brilliantly in the sun as he waves you forward, bright white details metallic against a simple black face. 

He walks with you along a trail that leads up towards one of the large buildings up the hill. 

Gabriel was right about it being hot, you feel sweat bead on your forehead as you make your way up the path, despite it being in the relative shade of several large trees that line the edge of the park. 

You're more out of breath than you'd like to admit when you reach the summit, subconsciously leaning a little towards Gabriel in your attempt subtly to catch your breath. 

He turns his head, eyes soft and considerate as he asks, "Hey, do you wanna grab a drink before we go inside?" 

He motions towards a small vendor selling some hotdogs and drinks, the pink and white umbrella above the cart keeps the glare off the sleek metal sides as the sun beats down mercilessly from above. 

You assent eagerly, walking briskly to the stand and ordering a bottle of water for yourself and a hotdog for Gabriel. 

He offers to pay but you manage to slip a ten dollar bill into the vendor's hand before Gabriel pulls out his wallet. 

"I've learnt your tricks, Gabe. You're gonna have to be quicker than that from now on if you wanna continue with this gentlemen nonsense." 

You shoot him a smug wink before you take a drink, the lump on your throat bobbling quickly up and down as you hurriedly gulp down your water, quickly realizing how dehydrated you had gotten. 

He's speechless for a few moments before breaking into a nervous laugh, eyes shying away as he leans over to reach the condiments on the end of the cart. 

You watch, mesmerized, as he draws cartoonishly perfect squiggles of ketchup and mustard along his hotdog. 

He notices you watching two thirds of the way down the bun and fumbles, squeezing the bottle abruptly, forming a large bubble of mustard that explodes all over his food and onto his fingers. 

You laugh as he panics, swearing under his breath as he and you both scramble for napkins. 

"You really like your mustard, huh?" 

You tease, giggling as you help him wipe off the excess from his hands, passing him napkin after napkin as the sticky yellow mess slowly disappears. 

His face is flushed red as he lets you finish cleaning him up, unable to help much except hold onto the hotdog. 

"I..I'm not usually this clumsy." 

You give him a reassuring smile, "Don't worry about it. I've seen your work, you work wonders with lace." 

You motion towards his hands and pour a bit of your water into his palms, he holds them out, rinsing the stickiness off one at a time. 

"All better." You beam, screwing the lid back onto your near empty bottle of water. 

"Thank you." He says, smiling appreciatively before perking up and leading the way down the remainder of the path. 

The building emerges from behind the leafy canopies of the surrounding trees, the bright colourful walls of the sprawling marine facilities standing out like a jewel. 

Crowds of people wander the premises, mostly large groups of schoolchildren on field trips with the occasional attendant following close by. 

You ooo audibly as you make your way to a large kinetic sculpture in front of the main entryway, the ball bearings inside clinking loudly as they roll their way along a dizzying mess of metal pipes and sliders. 

Gabriel walks up behind you and watches with you, almost through his hotdog. 

He's mid-bite when you turn and face him, asking him if he was ready to head inside. 

He smiles, mouth full of food before quickly closing his mouth, mumbling a quick "mhmm" before urging you forward. 

He finishes his food before speaking, "I remember you said you really liked jellyfish, so I figured I'd bring you to see some." 

You can't help but laugh as you reply, "Gabe, I called them evil bags. But you're right, it would be really cool to actually see one." 

He laughs too, the two of you exuding excitement as you walk through the main gates and into the aquarium.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk why all science centres have those kinetic sculptures in front of them but i love it ?? 
> 
> Also theres definitely a sex joke somewhere with the mustard lmao 
> 
>  
> 
> I have a very busy work week coming up so I'm 98% sure there wont be a thursday update ;; Thank you for understanding ! 
> 
> Ill probably post some pwp I have saved up instead lmao 
> 
> Thank you for reading !  
> ♡♡♡


	12. Chapter 12

The aquarium is bustling as you and Gabriel walk through the main entrance, the walls are lined with an assortment of different marine life alongside short snippets of interesting facts. 

Gabriel moves towards the kiosk, quickly purchasing two adult passes before you can protest. 

He shoots you a smug wink and you suppress a smile as you roll your eyes and reach out a hand to receive a small stamp. 

You gaze at the tiny purple dolphin thats been inked temporarily onto your skin and smile, "I feel like a kid on a field trip." 

Gabriel laughs, a sound you've grown to be oddly comforted by, "Well let me just hand you off to one of those attendants over there and I'll be on my way." 

You giggle, jokingly clinging to his arm as you retort, "You're not getting me that easily. I'm gonna be stuck on you like a...barnacle." 

You scrunch up your face as you press yourself against his arm, confused and amused by your own joke. 

You turn and look over at Gabriel, knitting your brows slightly when you see the shocked look on his face. 

"Oh c'mon, it wasn't that bad of a joke was it?" You say, trying to laugh through the growing concern in your mind. 

To you relief he seems to relax, "N-no, no it was funny." 

"Wow, thanks." You break out into laughter again as he fumbles again, trying desperately to convince you of his sincerity. 

You give his arm a comforting pat, "Its ok, I believe you, Gabe." 

He seems to accept that, smiling softly as he leads you into the main vestibule, a large circular room that leads off into several different exhibits.

"So where to first?" He turns and looks at you, patiently awaiting your answer. 

"Hmm I think general ocean has one of those interactive movies, which is super cool. Or we could go to deep ocean and check out those evil bags." 

He chuckles, deciding on general ocean as he walks you to the appropriate entryway. 

The two of you spend the better part of the next hour wandering the murky blue hallways, illuminated mainly by the lights in the tanks. 

A myriad of different ocean sea creatures swim and scuttle through colourful reefs, in and around serene looking anemones. 

You and Gabe peer curiously into the tanks, at the blue tangs and pufferfish, the clownfish and tiny flocks of seahorses. 

You gasp in surprise as a sea turtle swims slowly across your view, amazed by its gentle grace. 

You turn your head to follow it as it lazily drifts to your right, your eyes follow it until you notice Gabriel staring at you. 

You're not sure what it is in his eyes but you find yourself staring deeply into them. 

He stares at you for a long moment before leaning imperceptibly closer, you mimic the gesture, drawn to him by something you can't quite explain or control. 

He's inches from your face when he coughs and leans back, voice jumpy when he speaks.

"Lets see if that movie is playing, I think its right in the next room." 

You duck your head down to readjust something on your shirt, confused as to why you can't seem to look him in the eyes. 

"Yeah, that sounds great. I think its about the reefs so that sounds really cool." 

He turns and starts walking, keeping two steps ahead of you until he reaches the next portion of the exhibit before stopping and letting you catch up, walking with you towards the near empty line in the next room. 

You glance at the digital clock nearby before informing Gabe that the next screening was in five minutes. 

He nods, remaining silent for a few seconds before trying to make some small talk. 

"So what's this show about?" 

"I think the poster said coral reefs. I hope they have real bubbles, thats always super fun." 

He raises an eyebrow quizzically, "Real bubbles?" 

You smile, explaining excitedly, "Yeah, like they blow real water in your face and wind and bubbles in time with the movie, its really fun! Plus the chairs tilt and move!" 

He turns and glances at the poster, seemingly impressed by your words. 

The line suddenly shuffles forward, the attendant opening the doors to let people into the next screening. 

Gabriel lets you in first and you quickly walk up the centre aisle, finding the two of you a good seat on a pair of the bulky, plastic covered chairs. 

"These look like seats on a rollercoaster, except without the bulky safety chest piece. I don't know how that makes me feel." He muses as he settles down beside you, resting his hand on the shared armrest between you. 

You laugh, but quickly dropping to a whisper as the lights dim. 

"Better prepare yourself." 

You shoot him a wink and you hear him grumble nervously as the show begins. 

The two of you sit quietly as the movie begins, beautiful underwater shots of the Great Barrier Reef narrated by a peppy young man. 

The seats tilt and turn as you zoom through the scenic reefs, and to your delight bubbles appear as they focus on the marine life. 

Suddenly during a bit about dolphins, a giant arch of water is sprayed towards the crowd. 

Gabriel jumps in his seat, instinctively grabbing you hand on the armrest. 

You look over to see him mortified, and you break out in laughter, which seems to calm him as he himself starts to chuckle quietly. 

The movie soon draws to an end and the crowd starts to move its way out the doors. 

You're still a little giggly as you walk Gabriel back out to the main exhibit hall, teasingly comforting him as you take his arm again. 

He's defending himself as you drift across the hall, and somehow winding up at the gateway to the outdoor exhibits. 

You spot some trainers playing with dolphins in front of a gathering crowd and pull Gabriel along. 

The two of you join the crowd as the trainer offers up a bucket of fish for the patrons to feed the animals. 

Gabriel places a large palm on your back and urges you forward, you take a small sardine out of the bucket and shakily hold it out before chickening out as a dolphin swims up to you. 

"Who's scared of dolphins now?" 

He smirks teasingly before taking your hand in his, reaching out with you as the dolphins swims up and quickly snatches the sardine away. 

You laugh, a little incredulous as you speak, "Thanks..They've got a lot more teeth up close.." 

"Don't worry, I'll protect you." He smiles as he hands you another sardine from the bucket. 

You roll your eyes a little, knowing full well you were a grown ass man, perfectly capable of protecting yourself. 

But you were...pleased by the thought of his willingness to come to your defence. 

You feed the dolphin a few more times, some with Gabe's generous assistance and a few bravely on your own. 

You're still giddy from the spike of adrenaline as you and Gabriel leave for the final exhibit. 

"Ready to see those evil bags?" He asks, walking you down the black lit halls. 

"Only because they glow in the dark." 

The two of you exchange smiles until at long last you see several large aquariums full of an assortment of jellyfish. 

You run up to the large central tube full of hundreds of tiny, floating jellyfish, all drifting aimlessly in the water. 

You stare, wide eyed at the little things and gawk at the sheer quantity of them. 

Moments later Gabriel beckons you over to look at several larger ones in a tank to the left. 

You watch at the jellyfish's head contracts gracefully, propelling itself along as its long tendrils ghost along behind it. 

The room has an eerie feel to it, you tell Gabriel as much as you continue through the hall. 

"Feels like we're in the Underworld, surrounded by ghosts." 

"Very dramatic, I like it." He smiles as you look around with morbid fascination. 

"They're barely alive, just wisps of gel and water. Yet they're one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen." 

He laughs, a bright, happy sound as he teases you some more. 

"You should write a book, I'd buy it." 

"You should never tell a journalist that, cuz we'd actually do it. Then you'll be sorry." 

You blink rapidly as the exhibit slowly leads back out to the main hall, readjusting to the bright light. 

The walk back out and through the park is slow, you and Gabriel literally stopping to smell the flowers, take pictures with tacky cutouts and stopping to let a large crowd of children pass by. 

While the ride home is contrastingly different, Gabriel speeding down the streets in the busy city, bike and jacket glinting dangerously in the sun. 

When you finally arrive home you're not sure if the rumbling of the engine will ever leave your bones. 

You return the items Gabriel so graciously leant to you as you bid him goodbye. 

"Thanks again for showing me around today. I had a lot of fun." 

He smiles, cheeks flushed most likely from the stuffy helmet. 

"I had a lot of fun too. We should get together again sometime, it doesn't have to be a whole thing like today. Maybe a couple of drinks whenever you're free." 

You laugh, bright and clear as you agree, before awkwardly trying to say your goodbyes. 

"So yeah I'll, uh, I'll text you when I'm free. And I...I'll see you Gabe. Its been wonderful." 

You spread your arms for a goodbye hug and he freezes, unmoving for a moment before he snaps out of it an fumbles with the helmet in his hands, unsure of what to do with it until finally settling with placing it gently on the seat of the bike. 

He wraps his arms around you, warm leather brushing up against your skin, the smell of him permeating into your nose and undoubtedly clinging to your clothes. 

You giggle as the studs on his shoulders make it difficult to hold him tighter, forcing you to let him go. 

He bids you one last farewell as you enter your building, the rush of excitement you've felt all day finally melting into satisfied exhaustion as you board the elevator up, eager to get some rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He wanted to kiss u so bad poor guy 
> 
> Thus ends the cute dates portion of the fic lol 
> 
>  
> 
> Thursday updates are gonna be like a maybe thing for now but Mondays for sure 
> 
> I have ,,,, so much work I am exhusted always ;;
> 
> Writings been forced to take a backseat and im upsET abt it but theres really nothing i can do thank you for understanding ♡
> 
> Any words of encouragement or just general comments would really help and make my day Ive been feeling Not Great and just Down In The Dumps (◞‸◟)"
> 
> Thanks for reading !  
> ♡♡♡


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, small tw for alcohol. 
> 
> Reader does get very drunk. Nothing bad will happen, I swear, but I wanted to warm you cuz he does pass out
> 
>   ~~He'll be alright I promise dont worry~~

The following workweek goes by routinely, articles are written, photos are edited and coffee is drank by the gallon. 

You and Ana have been dying to go to your usual haunt after work but everyday find yourselves too exhausted to even drink. 

Its Friday night and work finally lets up, by the time you and Ana close up the office you're actually not about pass out. 

You're flipping off the lights to your office when Ana turns around with a mischievous grin, "Drinks?" 

You return her smile as you join her at her side down the hallway, "Only if you're buying." 

The two of you joke and laugh merrily all the way out of the building and down to the bar. 

Your chatter stops as you approach, its fairly crowded, which was expected on a Friday night. 

You and Ana enter the warmly lit establishment, tiny bell sounding almost inaudibly over the sound of the crowd inside. 

The place is bustling, patrons dine in dark leather booths that line the room. 

Everything from the walls and the ceiling, to the tables and chairs are varying shades of rustic stained wood, warmly lit by old lamps and even a large antler chandelier from above.

The walls are decorated with glass eyed animal heads, time yellowed photographs and an impressive array of road signs, the most prominent being the bars namesake, Route 66. 

You take a seat at the bar and smile when Ana waves over a bartender, who recognizes the two of you as regulars and makes his way to you promptly. 

"Evenin'."

"Hello, Jesse." Ana replies, as Jesse nods at the both of you, giving you an extra wink that makes you blurt out a small, "Hey.." 

"The usual, I'm guessin'?" 

"We are creatures of habit." You quickly reply, eager to regain you composure. 

Jesse nods again before turning around, facing the wall of multicoloured bottles behind him and skillfully plucking a few of them down. 

He gracefully pours your drinks and places them gently on the bar in front of you. 

A whiskey on the rocks for Ana and small glass of tequila for you, garnished neatly with a ring of salt and a lime. 

"I still don't understand how y'drink that from a glass." 

You giggle a little as you reply, taking a sip from your glass. 

"Its how you're supposed to enjoy it. Not everything has to be a shot, Jesse." 

"True, but wheres the fun in that.." 

The three of you share a laugh before Jesse moves back down the bar, helping the other patrons that have wandered in. 

You and Ana chat idly over your drinks, about nothing in particular since you do see each other almost everyday. 

It was nice, to be able to have spans of comfortable silence between the two of you, knowing that theres no need to fill it with anything other than each others presence. 

Ana is halfway through a story about a particularly insane client when your eyes wander behind her and down the bar. 

Jesse is there wiping down some glasses with a rag and stacking them neatly one on top of another. 

He appears to be speaking to someone, but you can't tell who it is, their form hidden behind Ana's. 

Curiously, you lean an elbow onto the bar, resting your head on your hand and incidentally getting a peek of who Jesse was speaking to. 

Your eyes grow wide as you recognize the man, calling out for him instinctively. 

"Gabriel!" 

He perks up from his conversation with Jesse, turning to the sound of his name. 

You move onto the seat next to him, he must have already had a drink judging by the colour of his face, flushed red in the warm light. 

He greets you with a smile, just as surprised to see you. 

You set your drink down onto the bar as you ask, "What are you doing here, Gabe?" 

"I'm actually here to see a friend, uh, this is Jesse Mccree." 

You and Jesse both laugh, sharing a look before he answers, "He knows who I am, Reyes." 

Gabriel quirks an eyebrow as he looks at Jesse for a long moment before turning to you. 

"Oh. How do you-" 

"He's a regular. Along with his lovely lady friend over there. They work like, 3 blocks from here an' come here almost as much as I do." 

Jesse tips his head towards Ana as he interjects, before looking back you Gabe. 

"And how do you know Jesse? You two seem like you've known each other for a while." You ask, taking another sip of your drink, which Jesse graciously tops up. 

He's stunned for a moment before he replies, "Oh, Jesse and I go way back. We're from the same neighbourhood and our families are close, so we saw each other a lot when we were younger. Haven't seen him in a while since I've been traveling a lot more for work, so I figured tonight was a good night to stop by." 

"Its a good night indeed, with this handsome devil finally gracin' us with his presence again." Jesse grins wide and leans up closer over the bar. 

You roll your eyes and smile, Jesse was always a huge flirt and you've grown used to his advances, knowing full well he's half serious at best. 

"So how have you been?" Gabriel asks suddenly, gesturing intently with his eyes for Jesse to go grab him another drink. 

You pay no mind as you fill him in about your week, detailing the events as Jesse brings Gabe a matching glass of tequila. 

You smile as you point it out, causing him to smile over the edge of his glass as he replies, "Its better this way. You can actually taste it instead of just dumping down your throat." 

"I knew you were a man of good taste." You smile wide, face hot and flushed from the alcohol as you raise your glass to him. 

"As if there was any doubt." He clinks his glass against yours and winks as the two of you drink deep, feeling the liquid burn pleasantly down your throats. 

The night wears long as you and Gabriel catch up, chatting effortlessly as Jesse tops up your drinks, even giving the two of you some new cocktails he's working on on the house. 

You're chatting away with cocktail number one, giggling like a mad man with cocktail number two. 

You barely remember number three, leaning forward towards Gabriel, his hand on your arm, or was it yours on his? 

Ana's voice above the haze, time to go? So soon? 

But you hadn't finished your drink, and Gabriel-

And Gabriel...

You faintly remember his broad chest inches from yours, and the overwhelming desire to bury yourself in that warm, safe place between his arms and then... 

And then...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reader is a lightweight surprise surprise lmao
> 
> Gabe and Jesse went to church together as kids, plz imagine small Jesse passing tf out as an alter boy and small Gabe nudging him awake becuz he's taking the responsibility Very Seriously thank you 
> 
> Thanks for reading !  
> ♡♡♡


	14. Chapter 14

You scrunch up your face as your head pounds violently into consciousness, pulling you from your sleep. 

You raise an arm, covering your eyes from the offending light that shines in past your throbbing eyelids. 

After a few futile minutes trying to fall back asleep you groan, cracking your eyes open as you slowly sit up on the bed. 

You turn instinctively to your right to check the time, but find the bedside table curiously devoid of an alarm clock. 

You blink rapidly, giving your eyes a few rubs before taking in your environment. 

You had no idea where the fuck you were. 

The walls were not the familiar warm brick of your apartment but instead are a clean white stone. 

The sheets where a cool grey, crisp and clean, and as you glance around you feel a slight sense of foreboding growing in your stomach. 

You glance down, you're wearing a black T shirt that wasn't quite your size, you glance down further and thankfully your underwear was still your own. 

You drag yourself quietly out of bed, searching the floor around the room for your belongings and when you find none you walk towards the door and gently ease it open. 

Peeking out from behind the door you see the rest of the space, a small three step staircase connects to the grey wooden flooring that lines the rest of the home. 

There is a movement to your left, towards the kitchen and you turn and look. 

Your give your eyes a few more rubs, clearing away the groggyness and find Gabriel preparing breakfast in front of the stove. 

He gives the pan a jerk and the pancake flips gracefully in the air until he sees you on the landing and fumbles, the half cooked pancake misses the pan and lands messily on the floor. 

He curses under his breath and quickly finds a rag to clean up the mess as you giggle from the railing. 

"Morning." 

"Good morning. Uh, glad you're up. I was just gonna bring these over to you." 

You smile kindly at him before ducking your head down, rubbing the back of your neck as you ask, "So, uh, what happened last night?" 

He flushes a bit, fumbling with the remaining pancake on the stove. 

"You, uh, you passed out after a few drinks and Jesse called the three of us a taxi home. I guess the driver just dropped us both off here? I don't really remember..." 

"Oh, ok. And, uh, nothing, nothing happ-" 

"No..! No, you threw up on your shirt so I lent you one of mine and put you to bed. I passed out on the couch." 

He gestures towards the living room, and to the pillow sitting on the edge of the leather couch. 

You laugh nervously, trying to brush away the topic of you drunkenly vomiting on yourself. 

He had to clean up your mess, yikes.

You're filled with a profound sense of gratitude, Gabriel was always so kind to you and you were very thankful to have such a good friend in your life. 

You make your way down the steps and towards the kitchen, watching him carefully lay another pancake down on the top of the hefty stack. 

They've all been practically perfect except the the last one, which sits ragged on the top like a lopsided crown. 

Gabriel smiles and assures you that its still good as he portions the cakes out onto two plates. 

He dips into the fridge and asks you what toppings you like, fruit, syrup or whipped cream. 

"Oo, I'll take whipped cream." 

To your surprise he pulls out a carton of heavy whipping cream and pours it into a small bowl, reaching into a cabinet for a mixer. 

"You make you're own whipped cream?" You ask, slightly in awe. 

"Of course. What am I an animal?" 

He winks as the mixer whirrs to life, the cold cream quickly whipping into fluffy peaks. 

You smile excitedly when he puts the mixer down and spoons a generous dollop onto your plate. 

"I didn't know you baked." You say as you carefully cut yourself a bite. 

"You don't know a lot of things about me," he replies and quickly continues when he notices his tone, "I only meant..! I just..you never asked..." 

He tries to smile but only manages to awkwardly show his teeth. 

You laugh, waving away the tension with an easy hand. 

"A man of many talents, huh?" 

He grins smugly, suddenly gotten his cool back, "You know it. I could, uh, show you a few sometime." 

You perk up, grinning wide as you reply, "That sounds lovely. I'm sure you could teach me a thing or two." 

You stare at him, eyes genuine as you eat another bite of your pancakes, covered in fresh whipped cream that catches on the corners of your lips. 

He averts his eyes and hands you a napkin, which you use to whip away the mess. 

The two of you eat in comfortable silence for a while before you speak up. 

"So where exactly are we?" 

Gabriel finishes wiping his face before he replies, "Oh, this is the third floor of the studio. I leased the whole building since it was cheaper than renting another place in the city." 

You're stunned, amazing that you hadn't realized sooner. 

"Wow, so you must spend like, all of your time here." 

He laughs, soft and warm, "Yeah, I can be a real workaholic so this is really convenient."

He finishes the rest of his pancakes before speaking again, "I can..I can show you what I'm working on after you're done eating, if you'd like." 

You swallow another delicious mouthful before replying eagerly, "I'd love that..!" 

His whole face seems to glow at your enthusiasm, clearly eager to show off his work. 

With that, the two of you quickly finish up your breakfast, both dying to get downstairs. 

You gently place your plate in the sink as he wipes off the crumbs from the table, carefully gathering them into his hand from the edge of the counter and dumping them in the trash. 

He leads you to the door with a soft smile, holding it open for you as you step into the stairwell. 

"C'mon, I've got so much to show you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ana told the cab to drop you both off together because of course she did lmao
> 
> Also drunk vomit is the worst vomit so psa drink responsibly kids u never wanna be That Guy 
> 
> Also also Gabe was a MESS at the prospect of having to undress you 
> 
> Plz imagine him drunkenly losing him mind as he gently lifted ur shirt off then absolutely didnt stare and quickly put on one of his spare shirts on you 
> 
> ♡♡♡


	15. Chapter 15

Gabriel turns to lock the door as you make your way down the stairs, they're identical to the ones that lead up from the front foray. 

You find yourself oddly aware of your surroundings as the two of you descend down the steps. 

You feel Gabriel's bulk hovering two steps behind you, not menacing but warm, and you find yourself wishing he was just one step closer. 

You quickly step to the side when you reach the cramped landing of the second floor, allowing him to slip past you and open the door. 

His chest brushes up against yours as he leans in and opens the door for you, and you feel your body tingle at the proximity. 

You take in a huge breath of relief as you enter the large studio, happy to be out of the small space. 

You take a moment to take in your surroundings, the large open studio is messier then when you were here last. 

The space is littered with sketches, scrap fabric is strewn across the room like a tornado had recently blown through, and countless mannequins are wrapped with gorgeous fabrics, the outfits in various stages of completion. 

Gabriel mumbles an apology as you take a seat on one of the chairs, "Sorry its a mess, I've been trying to get all the ideas out of my head before I forget them." 

You smile kindly at him from your seat as you watch him pull some drinks from the mini fridge. 

You feel a soft tendril of trepidation curl around your chest as you reply, "Finally found your muse, huh?" 

He hands you a soda as he takes a seat opposite you. 

His eyes are wistful as he replies, "Yeah, I think I have." 

"Oh. Thats, thats wonderful to hear, Gabe." 

The soda cracks loudly as you pop it open, shifting uncomfortably in your seat before taking a swig. 

You're about to start a line of questioning despite your best judgement when Gabriel speaks up, pulling you from your thoughts. 

"Thank you. If you're ready I'll show you what I'm working on." 

You open your mouth uselessly for a moment before shutting it and just nodding, eager to see what he's created. 

He smiles wide, bright as can be as he hops up and heads toward his work station. 

You watch as he wheels over a mannequin, stopping a few feet in front of you. 

He rests a hand on its shoulder as he uses the other to explain the design. 

Its a stunning ballgown despite being very obviously far from completion, the cream coloured fabric tumbles softly to the ground as half finished lines of pale pink beads and sequins trace up and down the bodice. 

You ooo and ahh dramatically as he explains the details and techniques he used, causing Gabriel to flush slightly before pushing forward another mannequin. 

This time a flowy, light pink dress is wheel out in front of you, held together by dozens of pins. You eye the dress up and down and smile wide when you see that the fabric fades into a pale yellow when the light shifts.

"This ones barely even started, but I soent hours getting the colours to fade together just right."

You rise up from your seat and gently run a hand down the body of the mannequin, feeling the airy fabric cascade down from your fingers. 

"Its beautiful, Gabe." 

You turn your gaze up from the dress and meet his eyes, he has an odd, dumbstruck look on his face before he blurts out a thanks. 

"You too--kind. _You're_ too kind." He coughs a little into his hand before spinning around and waving you over to show you some of his concept sketches on a nearby table. 

He spends the rest of the afternoon gushing about his work, and you listen and watch with unbridled enthusiasm as he shares his visions with you. 

You feel affection and pride blossom in your chest as you watch your now dear friend pour his heart out, passion for his craft plain in every word and gesture. 

The sun has started its descent by the time Gabriel finishes up, offering to make you dinner before driving you home, which you politely decline, not wanting to impose. 

"No, its no trouble really. I make a mean spaghetti and meatballs." He says, shooting you a wink. 

You laugh softly before placing a hand on his chest, giving him a few soft, apologetic pats before gathering up your things. 

You're pleasantly surprised when Gabriel runs back up into his apartment and retrieves your things, handing you your clothes folded and washed. 

You thank him and retreat into the bathroom to redress, before walking back out into the studio. 

He walks you down and out the main door when you're ready, graciously lending you his gear again before you hop onto the bike.

The ride home is a blur, streets and avenues rush past you as you cling tightly to his chest, feeling your heart pound against your ribs. 

You're a little light headed when you arrive home, gingerly stepping off the bike and handing Gabe back his helmet. 

"Thanks again for everything. Its been, uh, its been really great. I hope you keep working on your designs, you've got some real talent, Gabe." 

He flushes, rubbing the back of his neck before replying. 

"Thank you..I uh, I'm really glad you like the designs. And no worries about looking out for you, you can always count on me." 

He smiles softly when he finishes and your body goes into auto pilot, closing the distance between the two of you and pulling him into a hug. 

He's stunned for a moment before hugging you back, his body warm as he presses himself against you. 

You sigh softly as you breath in the smell of him, and reluctantly let go as you feel the embrace drag on just a little too long. 

"I'll catch you later, Gabe." 

His eyes are wide and genuine as he bids you goodbye, watching and waving as you turn and enter your building, the setting sun shining brightly behind you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reader doesnt realize hes falling in love poor thing 
> 
> Ive been having a hard time finding time and energy to write with work taking up most of my time nowadays ;; 
> 
> Thank you for your kind words and encouragement it really means the world
> 
> Thank you for reading !  
> ♡♡♡
> 
> Edit (15/07) : No update this week, I've had to suddenly move across town and I'm still moving/settling in ! Ill try and have a new chapter for this and Petsitting on Thursday !   
> Thank you for your patience and understanding ! ♡♡♡

**Author's Note:**

> Updates every Monday and Thursday !
> 
> Hit me up at justalittlemeenah.tumblr.com✌︎
> 
> Thank you for reading ! 
> 
> ♡♡♡


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